Occupy Together hits 951 cities

15/10/2011

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For the last month a growing movement of people, from various age groups and walks of life, has been gathering momentum. Occupy Wall Street began in New York and elsewhere similar movements have been emerging.

Today, October 15, 2011, has been labelled a day of action and the number of protesters grew.

Action of one type or another has been experienced in around 951 cities across the globe.
Cities affected include Tokyo, in Japan, and Madrid in Spain. Even the financial district of Hong Kong and the business centre of Brussels have experienced rallies. For the most part today’s demonstrations have been good natured and small but it is still early in the day.

Police in Rome struggled to control a wayward element of protesters and the situation is escalating still. Tear gas, water cannons and an increase policed presence carrying out baton charges resulted in some arrests.

In London Wikileaks founder Julian Assange attended one rally and addressed the crowd. He travelled to London from his friend Vaughan Smith's country mansion in Suffolk. This is Assange’s home whilst he remains on bail fighting extradition to Sweden. In line with his bail conditions Julian intends to be back home in Suffolk before his 10pm deadline. If the police begin kettling protesters, that may not be so easy.

Occupy Together has been informing groups online and listing events. This along with Facebook and Twitter will have helped protesters stay in touch. Was Blackberry’s outage this week part of a bigger plan, I wonder?

There are however many such Occupy sites on-line adding their twopenneth. It is still relatively early in the day and Occupy the World is not over yet.

In Paris, France, leading finance ministers of the leading economies have met to discuss the depressing state of Europe’s economy.

The number of people involved in the World–wide protests is said to have been small but they may not be dismissed easily nor have been protesting in a once in a lifetime event.
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Weekend of World protest

14/10/2011

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It is Friday October 14, 2011. Tomorrow October 15, 2011, is Occupy the World Day.

This year we have got used to seeing media reports from the Middle East, reporting on protests, especially after Friday prayers. Now it could be the West's turn.

The Occupy Wall Street protest movement began as a rather loosely organised group of individuals, who were on general sick and tired of what they called Corporate Greed. The movement has spread in spite of the fact that mainstream media sources have bypassed the protesters. A virtual blanket ban on reporting seemed to be in operation.

Today's breakfast news in the UK finally carried coverage, and one has to assume that they have realised that the movement will grow with or without mainstream publicity. It will not simply go away.
In Canada for example protests are planned for cities such as Toronto, October 15, 2011.

As is so often the case this protest movement could go either way. It could be what the western world needs to wake up and consider radical change. Then again it could be used by those wanting to pull down the fabric of our society for their own ends.

In other words it could end in hope or disaster.

It will depend upon those involved, their ideals and how the world and its authorities respond. As yet the demonstrations have been reasonably peaceful. As a person old enough to remember student protests such as the UK anti-Vietnam war, Grosvenor Square Student protests of 1968, I know it could all go horribly wrong.

There will always be a "rent a mob" element hell bent on trouble in any such protest. Sometimes this may even be supplied by a government to cause problems. Many people still believe that the Arab Spring was so influenced by the West.

In America the country seems to be divided. Republicans tend to be against OWSPM whilst Democrats are more inclined to be positive. However, it is not about politics. For those involved they see both sides as failed governments.

So if you are taking part tomorrow take care. If you live in an area which could be affected, likewise take care. Whether these protests can and will bring about any real positive change is hard to determine. This writer has to acknowledge admiration for those who are hopeful. Many of us when young were like minded. We hoped for a brave New World but sadly, although somethings changed, it did not happen.

With much of the World enduring conflict these days, or on the verge of bankruptcy, perhaps the time is right now. Whether those in power will allow radical change is doubtful.
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